Data and Analysis Delivery Partner

Description

Summary of the work The MoJ is seeking a Delivery Partner to transition analysis to an Amazon Web Services based Analytical Platform by developing a culture change strategy, delivering training, reproducing existing SAS and Excel-based tools in R or Python on the platform and enabling analysts to maintain and develop the new tools. Expected Contract Length 14 months Latest start date Monday 7 February 2022 Budget Range Phase 1 Discovery has a budget of £500k with an additional 25% contingency. Phase 2 Delivery has a forecast budget of up to £250k with an additional 25% contingency. The Phase 2 budget is subject to the availability of funding. Why the Work is Being Done The Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) Data and Analysis division is moving its analysis onto the MoJ Analytical Platform. The analysis is conducted primarily on open source tools including Python and R on our Amazon Web Services-based Analytical Platform. The move to the Analytical Platform supports the MoJ strategic objective of being a transformed department, that puts data, information, technology and innovation at the heart of our work to improve our services. Data and Analysis is seeking to appoint a Delivery Partner to enable the migration to the Analytical Platform by completing Phase 1 Discovery Phase by the 31 March 2022. This phase will include delivery of a culture change strategy, training and scoping potential automation opportunities and projects that will transition analysis from SAS to Python and R. Subject to the agreement of funding, Phase 2 Delivery Phase will commence on or around 1 April 2022 and this will consist of automation and SAS transition projects that are approved for delivery. Problem to Be Solved MoJ analysis teams do not have enough staff with the skills and capacity to transition analysis from existing SAS and Excel-based tools onto the MoJ Analytical Platform at the desired pace, while continuing to deliver ‘business as usual’. They need support to: • Develop a culture change strategy to enable them to achieve their transformation goals. • Extend their training provision to include new skills • Reproduce existing SAS and Excel-based tools in R or Python to run on the Analytical Platform • Enable analysts to maintain and develop the new tools Who Are the Users As an Analyst: • I need to be able to do the analysis I currently do in Excel or SAS in new tools on the Analytical Platform, using Python or R. • Once this project is complete I need to understand how the tools work and be able to maintain and update the tools to take account of changes to the source data and to customer requirements. • I need as much as possible of the routine data manipulation that I currently do myself to be automated in code. • I need the training to enable me to write robust reproducible analytical pipelines. As an analysis lead, I need to achieve cultural change in how my analysts work, minimising the need for them to do routine tasks that could be automated. Early Market Engagement A pre-tender market engagement (PTME) event was held and a recording of the session can be found using the following URL: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NzdiODYwYjItYmQ3Mi00NzIwLTljN2MtNDAyY2I2NmJiZGRk%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22c6874728-71e6-41fe-a9e1-2e8c36776ad8%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22296f578d-f92e-4d56-9590-2a024da5082a%22%2c%22IsBroadcastMeeting%22%3atrue%7d&btype=a&role=a The PTME outcomes (anonymous survey) are as follows: - confirmation suppliers have the skills to convert SAS tools to the MoJ Analytical Platform running Python or R - confirmation there are sufficient suppliers with the capacity to work with multiple Data and Analysis teams simultaneously - confirmation the scope described in the PTME could be delivered in a timeframe of between 3 and 9 months - the majority of respondents estimated the project cost for the scope described in the PTME to be between £250k and £500k The survey also included feedback from suppliers on the information required from MoJ to enable suppliers to understand the complexity of the project, the skills and resources required to deliver the project. This feedback has led to the requirement being structured in phases and the inclusion of a discovery phase. Existing Team The Data and Analysis directorate is nearly 400 strong. The automation project is part of a wider Transformation Programme changing how we work. The project is led by a virtual team of 5 analysts and data scientists, in addition to their other duties. This team will provide the day-to-day contact with the Delivery Partner, setting priorities and resolving issues. In Phase 2 the Delivery Partner will work directly with analysis teams who own the tools and models that they will be transforming. Current Phase Discovery Skills & Experience • Evidence of at least 3 years’ experience of delivering at scale (equivalent of 7 to 10 Full Time Equivalent staff), supporting multiple project strands across multiple teams (3%) • Experience of multiple separate instances of developing SQL, R and Python code for other large, complex and hierarchial organisations (4%) • Experience of successfully migrating analysis tools including data, code, processes, documentation from SAS scripts to Python, R and SQL - industry standardised practice, packages & libraries for open-source coding/code-sharing (5%) • Experience of delivering complex projects requiring daily interaction / collaboration with analysts/operational staff in their customer organisation (3%) • Experience of delivering of cultural change within an analysis-focused client organisation (3%) • Evidence of at least 3 years’ experience of developing and delivering training in R and Python coding (4%) • Experience of documenting software code to be used / maintained by a MoJ analyst (less skilled in the target language/technology, not previously involved in the work being documented) (3%) • Evidence of 3 years’ experience of applying industry best practice in software development (code simplicity, coherence, accuracy, efficiency, documented, reviewed, tested, accurately estimated, reproduceable) (2%) • Experience of conducting a discovery phase with limited information on data processes (3%) • Evidence of appropriate resources to deploy on this project from the contract start date that will be UK-based and will be BPSS-checked (3%) Nice to Haves Experience working within a large government (or equivalent regulated sector) programme of work, with multiple teams, dependencies and stakeholders (3%) Work Location 10 South Collonade, Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU Working Arrangments Working remotely unless there is a specific task that requires face-to-face meetings (e.g. engagement with senior stakeholders). Security Clearance A minimum of Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) is required. Additional T&Cs Phase 1 Discovery will commence on or around 7 February 2022 and will end no later than 31 March 2022. Phase 2 Delivery is an optional phase that is subject to the agreement of funding. Phase 2 will commence on or around 1 April 2022 and will last for a duration of 6 to 12 months. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 5 Proposal Criteria • The proposed approach and methodology (4%) • Describe how you will draw on your experience from a similar project to successfully execute this project (4%) • Set out your implementation plan from contract award to delivery of Phase 1 Discovery Phase (3%) • Describe how you have identified risks and dependencies, and offered approaches to manage them (3%) • Demonstrate your understanding of contracting with the public sector using the DOS framework agreement (1%) • Demonstrate your ability to provide sufficient resource in the required timescales for this project, evidencing the resources are fit for purpose (3%) • Describe how you will ensure effective engagement with MoJ leadership throughout the course of the management of the project (3%) • Describe your requirement for support from MoJ staff to deliver your proposal, and how you can respond flexibly to the needs of the client in terms of conflicting priorities (3%) Cultural Fit Criteria • Explain how you will work as a team with our organisation (1%) • Explain how you will ensure that you are transparent and collaborative when making decisions (1%) • Explain how you will share knowledge and experience with our analysts (4%) • Explain how you will work effectively with analysts less skilled in the target language / technology (4%) • Social value - explain how you tackle economic inequality through employment and training opportunities (5%) • Social value - explain how you identify and tackle inequality in employment, skills and pay in the workforce (5%) Payment Approach Capped time and materials Assessment Method Presentation Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 60% Cultural fit 20% Price 20% Questions from Suppliers 1. Can you please advise how the Pre Market Engagement was advertised? The pre tender market engagement was advertised to all suppliers belonging to DOS5 Lot 1 on 27 September 2021 by email from gov.notify titled "Pre Tender Market Engagement for support to SAS migration". 2. Who from your team will be scoring applications for this opportunity and what positions do they hold? The applications will be scored by the Head of Corporate Data and Statistics and members of his team (3 member evaluation panel). The process will be overseen by a commercial manager including moderating the evaluation process. 3. Can you please provide an anticipated timeline for this procurement that includes dates for: 1) Shortlisting Notification for Stage 2 2) Submission Deadline for Stage 2 3) Presentation 4) Evaluation period 5) Award Notification Shortlisting will be completed by 6 January 2022. Notifications to participate in Stage 2 will be issued on 6 January 2022. The Stage 2 submission deadline will be 13 January 2022. Presentations will be held on 18 January 2022. The evaluation period for Stage 2 will run from 13 January to 19 January 2022. The award notification will be issued on 21 January 2022. 4. Has any external supplier been involved in the initial scoping work? If so, who? No external supplier has been involved in the initial scoping work. 5. Please can you clarify the available budgets – the weighting seems reversed, i.e. £500K for an 8 week Discovery looks very high, with £250K for an up to 9 month delivery being very low. The Phase 1 Discovery Phase budget is the budget that is available in this financial year. It will be for suppliers to determine the resource requirements based on their approach. The Phase 2 Delivery budget is based on the forecast available budget for the next financial year. Phase 1 Discovery includes a culture change strategy and training. We expect projects identified for delivery in Phase 2 will in part be delivered in-house by trained resources. 6. A. In the first skills and experience bullet, can the authority clarify what it means by “3 years’ experience delivering at scale”? Is the expectation that this is a single engagement over three years?B. In bullet point 7, can the authority clarify if suppliers need to provide experience in documenting code for MOJ analysts specifically? Or can examples of other non-MOJ engagements where this has been done be used? A. 3 years's experience delivering at the scale identified in the criteria. This could be a single engagement or multiple engagements that cover that duration.B. Suppliers do not need to provide experience in documenting code for MoJ analysts, more the intended definition of that role which is "(less skilled in the target language / technology) who has not been previously involved in the work being documented".